This work of speculative fiction explores the topics of cyberbullying and how CRISPR could be used to create designer pets or super soldiers. The world was created using a methodology called Systems Mythology, developed by the Institute for the Future. The story is set in a Purple Future, which values mysteries, hidden truths, and the unknown.
“Come in. Please, come in.” Adam Brown, LD signs as he opens the door to his office. If the couple are surprised by his use of sign language they hide it well. A dark leather couch encircles the edge of his office leaving the…
This work of speculative fiction explores the topics of cyberbullying and restorative justice. The world was created using a methodology called Systems Mythology, developed by the Institute for the Future. The story is set in a Green Future, which values inclusiveness, emergence, and creativity.
Tanya places a coffee in front of her neighbor. “Here you go.” she says with a smile, “Two sugars and a dash of cinnamon right?’’ She just started her shift at Sashiko, the worker-owned coffee shop on the ground floor of her building. The space is bathed in warm morning light. Plants spill off ledges, books…
This work of speculative fiction explores the topics of doxxing, trolling, and deepfakes. The world was created using a methodology called Systems Mythology, developed by the Institute for the Future. The story is set in a Red Future, which values heroes, competition, and winning.
ChefBoyArtie stands alone in his kitchen. The lack of decor in his modest apartment gives the impression that he’s either just moved in or is on his way out. He takes a deep breath before hitting the Go Live button on Seismogo. “Hey guys, ChefBoyArtie here. Today I’m going to show you how to make Michelin…
This work of speculative fiction explores the topics of cyberbullying and ransomware in the future. The world was created using a methodology called Systems Mythology, developed by the Institute for the Future. The story is set in a Blue Future, which values structure, logic, and objectivity.
The Gymnast’s score appears on the screen the instant her feet hit the mat. The ring of cameras surrounding her mapped and measured every angle of her body as she twisted and turned. Her score of 9.087584 is just under the 9.087589 needed to qualify for the 2036 Olympics in Berlin. A wave of…
Here’s a bold prediction… in 10 years Strategic Foresight will be business as usual. Companies will look to their Foresight department to deal with what Alvin Toffler called Future Shock. The methods and practice of futures thinking will go mainstream in the way design thinking has today.
I may be biased, but I sure hope I’m right. Why? Because I honestly believe foresight prepares you to be a better person, and more strategic leader. The world would be a better place if we had more foresight.
With that in mind, here are five key benefits of futures thinking:
- It strengthens…
Constructing Plausible Futures
It’s the role of a futurist to make abstract ideas about the future concrete. To allow other people to step into a “time machine” and experience that future today.
The most compelling futures are the ones that balance the past, present and future.
Constructing plausible futures is part art and part science.
Foresight professionals play with the tension between the trends of today (like demographic shifts) that are driving change and the entrenched beliefs or the weight of history that are slowing change, and then add in this third dimension, which is a vision of the future…
And why you should solve for WHY instead of X
After a year of unprecedented change it seems like there is an intense desire for both a return to normalcy and a greater ability to predict the future. Enter Strategic Foresight, a practice of critically examining where we’ve been to imagine where we’re going.
Futurists like Ray Kurzweil are often asked to comment on topics like artificial intelligence or transhumanism (the melding of man and machine), and often the questions are, “How soon will X happen?” or “Will we be able to do X by the year XXXX?” People crave timelines. …
A business is an abstract idea without people. Abstract ideas have no inherent value. People bring ideas to life. People create value. That’s true across the board. Now the role of human resources in a given firm — or how people create value — depends on the industry and the level of innovation at the company.
In other words, the value of staff and the policies that should be put in place to motivate them depend on the organization type and strategic goals. I’ll explain this using the Ford Motor Company — past, present, and future — as an example…
I’ll never forget the first time I saw a ghost. It was a crisp March day in San Francisco. We pulled up to the nondescript building and felt certain there must have been some kind of mistake. Did we have the right address? Wasn’t this supposed to be the Indian restaurant a friend had raved about? Delivery drivers bustled in and out of the building, their cars lining the narrow alleyway. Our Uber driver looked at us inquisitively, unsure if we were going to get out or not. It finally dawned on us, the Indian restaurant we had set out…
Just keep spinning, just keep spinning.
Newton’s first law of motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force.
Companies like Apple rely on reality distortion fields, but Amazon’s success is firmly rooted in physics. Let’s start by clarifying one thing. Amazon is a process company, not a product company. This makes it incredibly difficult to pinpoint which industry they’re in. Are they a retailer, a technology company, or a logistics firm? The answer is all of the above, and more.
At its core, Amazon is a well oiled machine that creates value by being obsessed…
Francis Gonzales
As a Design Strategist I am ever curious about people, culture, and technology. I spot trends, uncover connections, and tend to think A LOT about the future.
